When we think of Halloween, we tend to think of jack-o’-lanterns, comfort foods, buckets full of sweets, and, of course, costume parties. After all the guests have left the building, costumes are put in the washer, and the food has been consumed, one thing will be waiting for you when you wake up—a messy home.
From leftover decorations, pumpkin guts all over the place, and sticky candy smudges, post-Halloween cleanup can involve a lot of work. While it’s best to let pros in residential cleaning in Houston revamp your home while you’re recovering from party night and enjoying All Saints’ Day with your loved ones, sometimes you just have to take care of the mess on your own.
Today we outline 5 smart tips to help you restore your home to its tidy best and return to your daily rhythm with as little inconvenience as possible.
How do I clean my house after Halloween?
The first thing to keep in mind is that structure and organization are your best friends. The basic trick that doesn’t require too much thinking is to break the process into manageable chunks. Let’s now embark slowly but surely on the road to bringing back the comfort with minimum effort.
1. Do a quick walkthrough
First things first and in this case it means taking stock of the situation. A quick walkthrough will help you get a better picture of the scope of the work that awaits. You can take a garbage bag and dispose of the trash while you’re going from one room to the next and surveying the scene.
2. Take down decorations properly
Depending on how much effort you put into cobwebs, pumpkins, skeletons, and other spooky props, removing Halloween decorations can be a time-consuming chore so it may be smart to involve other members of the household. Even if it seems like an easy task, take your time to do this carefully because you don’t want the sparkly décor to scatter everywhere.
3. Time to dispose of pumpkins
Pumpkins are one of the central themes of Halloween, but once the holiday is over, it’s time to get rid of them before they start to decompose. You can compost corn stalks, remains of carved pumpkins, and jack-o’-lanterns or dispose of them in the garden to provide nutrients for plants. Make sure to pick up all the stray pieces or they may start attracting pests.
4. Tackle sticky candy residue
While candy is the sweetest part of most holidays, it can also turn into a main culprit of post-Halloween mess. Look carefully for signs of melted chocolates, sticky gums, and cookie crumbs on your furniture, carpets, and floors. You can use a mixture of soapy water and vinegar for hard surfaces like countertops and flooring. When tackling carpets make sure to avoid scrubbing and abrasive substances that can cause damage or discoloration.
5. Sweep, vacuum & mop
Once you’ve taken care of furniture and main surfaces, it’s time to make those floors shiny. Sweep the debris like candy wrappers, bits of confetti, and small pieces of broken decorations before going over hard flooring with a damp mop. Once the floors are dry, use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to pick up tiny particles and make everything neat and tidy once more.
Who should I call for meticulous residential cleaning in Houston, TX & beyond?
If all of this sounds like too much work, or you’d rather lounge the day after the big party, Maids and Moore has the experience and expertise to come to your rescue for all this and more. If you want to merge trick and treating with house cleaning, need help with comprehensive post-Halloween sprucing up, or a guide on keeping a healthy home during the flu season, we’re here to answer your call so you can rest assured that every little detail will be taken care of with utmost care and efficiency.
Take some time to enjoy the majestic Hermann Park with your friends and family and we’ll make the most of that time to return your home to its former glow after all the guests have left. Get in touch with us today!